Michigan

Nate Robertson: Starting spot is 'my job to lose'

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The numbers were distinctly in Nate Robertson's favor Saturday as he and fellow veteran Dontrelle Willis continued to compete for the Tigers' fifth starter spot in a 10-4 victory against the Blue Jays at Marchant Stadium.

Robertson pitched three scoreless innings, escaping a minor jam in the fourth, while Willis hit the first batter he faced, walked the next on four pitches and ended up allowing four runs in three innings.

But manager Jim Leyland wasn't ready to budge off his stance that the spot remains open for Robertson, Willis, rookie Rick Porcello or Zach Miner to claim before the end of the spring.

"I don't think anybody caved in," Leyland said. "I thought they went about their business and got their outing in and we're going to continue to do that."

Leyland did say he intends to split the pairing of Willis and Robertson, who have appeared in the same game for three consecutive appearances, their next time out.

After walking four Yankees in his most recent outing, Robertson walked no one Saturday.

"I'm just trying to keep the mindset that it's my job. It's my job to lose," Robertson said. "You just can't add pressure. It is tough going out there. You know you're fighting for a job, but I've tried to have that mindset every year. So, I'm really trying to take that in to my starts so that I don't sit there and say, 'Man, if I don't throw up three zeroes today, there's this race going on.' I think we're all human, and it's tough on us all."

Willis, who left without speaking to reporters, finished with a scoreless third and made two tough fielding plays on hard grounders by Toronto's John McDonald and Jose Bautista that saved potential base hits. His fastball was clocked in the 85-87 mph range most of his appearance, but he reached 91 mph on one pitch.

Porcello injures finger
Porcello was scratched from today's scheduled start against the Nationals after he cut the index finger on his right hand fielding a ball during pitcher's fielding practice.

Leyland down-played the injury, saying it should be a setback of no more than a "couple of days" and that Porcello will return soon to continue competing for the fifth starter spot.

"(The cut) is closed already," Leyland said. "It's not a stitched thing. It's going to be a couple of days and he'll be right back out there. I didn't want to take a chance, with the ball coming off those finger tips."

Right-hander Alfredo Figaro will make the start instead.

Zumaya still out
Leyland said he has decided not to try to predict when reliever Joel Zumaya will pitch again "because I've been wrong about three times."

Zumaya had been scheduled to throw in a minor-league intrasquad game Saturday, but was scratched because of spasms in his right shoulder and hasn't pitched in a game since March 2.

Zumaya was shut down on Aug. 13 last season with soreness that later was diagnosed as a non-displaced fracture of the right coracoid process in his shoulder. He was examined by orthopedist James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla., on March 6 and was told the soreness this time was due to normal spring training exertion.

"We've given him every benefit of the doubt as far as MRI, doctors, the best in the world and everything," Leyland said. "We just don't know. I can't ever put myself in a position to force somebody to throw. I'm not going to do that. That would be not very bright on my part.

"We hope it would encourage him to say, hey, look, this is going to be a part of it. And in order to be able to do this, you're going to have to pitch through some of it. And I think that's kind of what the doctor inferred. But I can't do that. The organization can't do that."

Ilitch mourns Davidson
Tigers owner Michael Ilitch and his wife, Marian, with whom he co-owns the Red Wings, issued a statement through the Tigers regarding the death Friday of Pistons owner Bill Davidson.

"We are saddened by the passing of Bill Davidson and extend our condolences to his wife and family, the Pistons and Shock organizations and all of his employees," they said in the statement. "We always found Bill to be a very personable, friendly and warm person. He was a tremendous businessman, owner and competitor. His commitment to our community and his passion for innovation will leave a lasting legacy."

Odds and ends
Third baseman Brandon Inge, designated hitter Gary Sheffield, second baseman Placido Polanco and catcher Gerald Laird will get a scheduled day off today as the Tigers travel to Viera, Fla., to face the Washington Nationals. ... Former Tigers left-handed pitcher Mike Maroth, attempting to revive his career with the Blue Jays, was given a warm ovation by the Marchant Stadium crowd when he came into Saturday's game in the fourth inning. Maroth took the loss after he gave up a two-run, go-ahead triple to Tigers second baseman Will Rhymes in the bottom of the sixth. ... Left-handed reliever Kyle Bloom threw two innings in a minor-league intrasquad game Saturday. He faced mostly left-handed batters and worked on his curveball. ... Lifelong Tigers fan Ben Meisner, an advertising salesman who grew up in Southfield and works now in Chicago, spent the day shadowing Leyland as the honorary manager of the day. Meisner, who said he used to be a vendor at Tiger Stadium, was given the chance to spend the day with Leyland by a friend, Howard Goldman, who made the winning bid at a Tigers Foundation charity auction.